Ground Source Heating and Cooling
Category: HVAC
Ground source heating and cooling, or geoexchange, is a technique that utilizes geothermal energy to heat or cool buildings, depending on the season. Ground temperatures are relatively consistent, varying on latitude rather than season. Using a series of underground pipes and water, a building can exchange the temperature from the ground to provide a baseline temperature that is cooler than the air in the summer and warmer than the outside air in the winter. This baseline temperature provided to the building reduces the energy needed to heat or cool the building to comfortable temperatures.
Benefits
- Energy consumption can drop nearly 50% with the installation of a geothermal heating/cooling system
- Geoexchange systems have a lifespan of 50+ years
Challenges
- Climate and ground temperature can impede the efficiencies of a geoexchange system
- Geoexchange systems require a large amount of land to drill wells
Impacts
-
GHG Impact
Enormous
More InfoEnergy consumption is greatly reduced for each building fitted with a geo-exhange system.
-
Economic Impact
Net Savings
More InfoLarger projects can take 15+ years until there is a ROI.
-
Feasibility
A Big Lift
More InfoSpace, underground utilities, and funds necessary limit feasibility.
-
Timeline
10 years +
More InfoDesigns are site specific, capital intensive, and require many steps before implementation.
-
Maintenance
Moderate
More InfoFew moving parts once installed.
-
Publicity
That's really cool
Ball State Ground Source Heating and Cooling Project Snapshot
Ball State constructed a district-scale, geothermal ground-source heat-pump-chiller system to heat and cool their campus. It is composed of four key components: boreholes, energy stations, hot and cold district loops of water-filled pipes, and building interfaces.
